Back in the pre-COVID days, we offered dedicated sparring classes to the advanced students and incorporated sparring drills into the other classes.  Taekwon-do is, after all, a fighting art.  While some of you may miss the contact drills, the pandemic has afforded us an opportunity to practice important sparring skills that often get lost in the heat of free fighting.
     Take blocking, for instance.  There are three broad categories of blocking:  deflection, evasion, and counter.  We practice our deflection blocks every day, during basics and patterns.  These are a great way to learn how your body moves and how to generate power.  Deflection is the first level of blocking.  If you have time to block, you have time to hit.  
     Evasion is the art of not getting hit, a very important strategy and arguably, the most beneficial.  The secret to evasion is being quick, both physically and mentally.  Even the simplest exercise in class improves footwork. Every partner drill hones timing and teaches where an attack may come from.
     The final form of blocking is the attack that stops your opponent's attack.  Effective countering takes years to perfect and involves many bruises along the way.  That is, when there is actual contact involved.  The pandemic has given us the chance to practice this skill without physical repercussions.  Take advantage.  
     Find your strong points.  What is your most accurate kick?  What kicking combinations feel most natural?  Think of techniques in sequences rather than as single attacks.
     Streamline your movements.  During basics, try to eliminate all excess movement.  How often does Master Marr remind us that "Back leg moves first" on a skipping kick?  This is why.  Moving your front foot first signals your opponent that you are about to move and slows you down.
     Test your intuition.  Use partner drills to practice anticipating your opponent's moves.
     Over the next few weeks, we will introduce some new partner drills.  Challenge yourself to get the most out of them.

      Let's start with the "what."  Ke-up roughly translates as yell, but really it means to let loose your energy vocally. An effective ke-up should be quick and sharp, but loud.  It should mimic the force and speed of your technique--the snap of a kick or the flash of a punch.  It is an audible breath, demonstrating that all your power is focused together.  And once you incorporate the ke-up into your practice without prompting, you will experience the "why."  Your techniques will become stronger and your mind more alert.
       Now the "when."  During class, students should automatically ke-up every time they go to fighting stance, every time they do a fighting stance turn, and on the first technique of every trip down the floor during basics.  During sparring drills, such as two- and three-step sparring, students must ke-up when they have finished their turn so that their partner knows to start.  During free sparring, a good ke-up can startle your opponent and gain you a critical couple seconds.  We often end class with a series of punches; it is customary to ke-up on the final punch.
       Master Marr sometimes jokes with the kids that he is the only grown-up who asks them to be louder.  But in all seriousness, being able to free your energy, both physically and vocally, is a huge reason Taekwon-do feels so good for students of all ages.  So let loose!  Be loud!  But refine your ke-up as you refine your kicks and punches:  stronger, sharper, faster, and laser-focused.